It’s difficult to describe my friend Jordan’s music. It’s not exactly gothic industrial music. It’s not exactly celtic folk music, though there are certainly elements of that in there. And it’s not indie rock or electronica either. It’s dark, melodic and atmospheric – that’s about as close as I can get.

This PR quote sort of sums it up best: “Imagine PJ Harvey trapped in the workhouses of Industrial Revolution era England, with only Nine Inch Nails for company.”

It’s also really great. You should listen.

Here’s the first video from the album:

I’ve been a fan for about 15 years. We became friends fairly recently. And these days, we’re virtually neighbours. Another ex-pat kiwi living in Birmingham. Love it when cool people do great stuff. This is an example of that.

Rather gorgeous and predictably tempting vinyl package from Shlohmo (not too many of them left, actually). This EP earned a very respectable 8.0 on Pitchfork recently. It’s a really lovely release that warms and grows on you with repeat listens.

There are moments of ambient dubsteppy electronica from down the Burial / James Blake end of the pool, but mixed in with real songs that have actual structures in them too – even if they don’t all have actual lyrics involved in all the singing bits.

Thoughtful, boundary-crossing stuff without ever getting too challenging or groundbreaking. Which is just what you want sometimes. A warm bath of a record on a rainy afternoon.

It’s been six years since “Our Place” the soulful, reggae-soaked release by Adi Dick on the LOOP label. The follow-up is short, understated and more dreamlike and reflective than its predecessor – but it still prioritises the groove. You are, however, not expected to dance. This is a groove you can settle into.

Dick’s voice is entirely recognisable, though it has matured and mellowed. Whatever urgency it once had has been replaced by a more considered and melancholic wisdom. The songwriting is more subtle in its approach to hooks and choruses – and yet at the same time, it’s more approachable.

The result is a lovely, meditative, thoughtful, classy and head-nodding place to spend 20 minutes. Not a moment is wasted, but Layers is in no rush. It’s a comfortable sofa in your favourite hang on a Sunday afternoon.

Not to be confused with the British grime artist, P-Money is an exceptional DJ, and New Zealand’s most established and foremost producer of hip hop beats and grooves. And he’s earned the incredible respect he’s accorded from the global hip hop community.

Gratitude features contributions from such heavyweights as Talib Kweli, Havoc of Mobb Deep and Freddie Gibbs as well as chart-topping New Zealand artists such as Aaradhna and @Peace. But even with a diversity of rappers, the consistency of P-Money’s production gives the album a consistent and compelling flow.

This is a collection of pure class beats from start to finish – already charting solidly in both Australia and New Zealand – as well as staring to bother the iTunes US hip hop charts. But we know better than to get it on iTunes. Do not miss this one on Bandcamp.